W3B will be based on the Thales Alenia Space 4000 platform. Due for launch in October 2010, it will initially be located at 16° East.

Designed for an operational lifetime of 15 years, W3B will offer significant flexibility to operate a wide range of services from TV broadcasting to professional data networks and broadband access, in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

Hosting over 350 TV digital channels in more than 17 languages, 16 degrees East is one of the leading orbital positions for broadcast in Central and Eastern Europe and, via its steerable beam, it is a prime video neighbourhood for the islands in the Indian Ocean. These markets are experiencing solid growth, in particular in Central and Eastern Europe where cable and satellite reception has grown at a double digit rate over the last four years.

W3B will be replaced by W3C at 16 degrees East and will be relocated at 7 degrees East, where it will be collocated with the W3A satellite.